Wiretapping scandal set 17: The Prilep colloquy
This set of wiretapped conversations is dedicated to Prilep. The first conversation is between the Minister of Transport and Communications at that time Mile Janakieski and Prilep’s mayor Marjan Risteski. The mayor complains to Janakieski that their rating in Prilep is going down, albeit they were paving a new street that day. He calls the citizens of Prilep wackoes and he reckons “something else” is supposed to be done instead of paving the streets.
The next conversation is between Risteski and the Minister of Interior, Jankuloska, whereupon he reports an incident in Prilep to the Minister, saying that SDSM’s members have beaten VMRO-DPMNE’s members who entered in a protesting group while driving a car, but he says that they did not intend to cause incidents, but were just rushing to the hospital… Then, according to Prilep’s mayor, SDSM’s activists entered in one of VMRO-DPMNE’s headquarters and they threatened and insulted the people inside, and Risteski is astounded by the inactivity of the nearby police officers, whereupon the Minister explains him that the police has limited authority for such cases. In the second conversation Jankuloska tells Prilep’s mayor that no fight has been reported, only a quarrel, regarding the car incident. Risteski says that he received a different information, that a child has been hit…
The following conversation is between Jankuloska and Stavreski, whereupon they mention Risteski’s “report”. First, Stavreski complains that the discipline is on a very low level, saying that Risteski was 20 minutes late for a meeting. Jankuloska then adds that Risteski has become a great liar, he reported that VMRO-DPMNE’s members were beaten by SDSM’s members, and afterwards she established that there are no violence charges, the incident was just a quarrel, and the members of VMRO-DPMNE were drunk… Stavreski says that Risteski is completely unstable guy…
Afterwards, we hear a conversation between Janakieski and Risteski, whereupon the Minister requests from Prilep’s mayor to “congratulate” four employees in the Municipality of Prilep and to announce an open competition for new employments in the Municipality for, as he says, “VMRO-DPMNE members”.
In the next two conversations, first we hear Janakieski requesting from Risteski a list of firms owned by people close to SDSM, including a firm owned by Hari Lokvenec, former candidate for mayor of Prilep.
In the following conversation we hear about making plans for “a hit” i.e. inspections, fines and closing restaurants, cafes… They also schedule the time when specific objects will be “hit”, whereupon we notice the wrath towards some owners because they “were polite with everyone”, instead of expressing complete fidelity to VMRO-DPMNE; but also because others “were happy about…”.
In the following conversation, previously played in the 7th press conference, Janakieski tells about his “raids”… “I f***ed their mothers” in Prilep, but he did the same in Kavadarci, Negotino, Strumica, Rosoman. The next conversation is between the Prilep’s mayor and Dejan from “Pelisterka”, who offers a lists of “rubber Johnnies” who were against the mayor, and he wants retaliations against them. Risteski says that he will do so. Then, Dejan says that they need to cope with Centar, and Risteski replies that’s the most important thing of all.
In the next conversation Zoran Stavreski says the Prilep’s mayor that he should not show weakness, whereas Risteski on the other hand says that he “f***ed everyone’s mother” in Prilep, he was demolishing summer terraces of restaurants and cafes, and announced another raid “with jackhammers” for the next day. Stavreski is additionally abetting him to do so. Then, they talk about appointing managers, inspectors from VMRO-DPMNE and to sack the “commies”. Stavreski requests a list of firms who are against VMRO-DPMNE. Risteski says that they need to be “jumped down the throat”.
In the conversation after, between Janakieski and Risteski, we hear them talking about monk Dositej from the monastery of St. John the Forerunner – Bigorski – Monastery. Janakieski expresses his immense hatred towards the monk who “annoys” because he was a friend of Hari Lokvenec… We hear how Janakieski is full of himself because he managed to impose 11.000 euro fine to a firm owned by Lokvenec, because, as he says, he had unregistered employees. Then, they “cook the goose” for “Donia” because the owner was persuading the employees to attend SDSM’s rally, and for “Comfy Angel”, Janakieski says that there also were unregistered employees.
Afterwards, from the next two conversations we hear Janakieski explaining to Marjan Risteski about the things done in order to substitute the head of the Football Federation of Macedonia, also a citizen of Prilep; but we also hear what Jankuloska and Stavreski think of Risteski. Jankuloska says that the MOI helped Risteski a lot with the organizing of the Beer Fest, and Stavreski is angry because Risteski is flippant and he did not welcomed him properly during the festival, and also says that he wants to close Beer Fest… He also emphasizes that he would be “treated like a king” no matter where he would go…
In the last two conversations, first we hear Risteski telling Janakieski that “Prilep will vote” and will “put that in the pipe and smoke it” and then, in the last conversation between Gordana Jankuloska and Martin Protugjer, also played in the third press conference, Protugjer warns Jankuloska that there were five busses from Prilep, organized by the “commies” on their way to the “protest for Ljube” in Skopje, and he requests a vehicle examination in order to stop the trip, and Jankuloska tells him not to worry because “they” will “cope with them”.
Press conference of Sasho Veleski, president of the Basic Organization of SDSM in Prilep, in Prilep, 4th of of April 2015
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